8 days – Southeast & Central Islands

Baltra Island

On arrival at Baltra Airport all visitors pay their entrance fee to the Galapagos National Park, pass through immigration control, purchase their bus tickets, claim their checked pieces and get their hand luggage checked by the Galápagos Biosecurity Agency (ABG also known as our Quarantine system). The Samba’s naturalist guide will assist you with as you come out of the terminal and accompany to the bus.

Santa Cruz Island: Highlands 

We travel on LOBITOS (bus company) to the south end of the Island (7 minutes ride). We cross the Itabaca Channel on a small ferry (barge) to land on the north coast of Santa Cruz. We embark on another bus to travel through the Island and visit the highlands. We stop at El Chato 2 (private tortoise reserve) and have lunch around 13:00.

It is strongly recommended to wear appropriate gear for this visit to the Highlands. Because the area is under constant influence of moisture is likely to be muddy and humid. Pants, proper shoe wear and a rain jacket are a must.

After spending quality time with our gentle giants and walking through a lava tunnel we travel on our bus to Puerto Ayora. In town guests have a few minutes to walk by the main street before we head to the Samba. We will be on board around 17:30 and dinner will be around 19:00.

Cormorant Point

Following a four-hour navigation from Puerto Ayora we will do a wet landing on a volcanic olivine beach. Punta Cormorant is located on the northern shore of Floreana and is the house of greater flamingos and sea turtles. On one side, the point is partially flooded with a brackish lagoon where flamingos occasionally feed. Whimbrels, herons and stilts are other common shore and migratory birds of the wetlands. On the other side sea turtles use every corner of a white sand beach to deliver their eggs. You often see stingrays and reef sharks from the shore and if you are lucky turtles ending basking.

Devil's Crown

Late that morning we will snorkel at one of the best spots in the world! Devil´s Crow is a magical start to the Galápagos underwater experience.

Baroness Lookout

To make absolutely sure you get a full day from sunrise to sun set, we will kayak/panga ride and climb at the Baroness lookout. Navigating through a small set of islets with a sea lion colony, boobies and mangroves. Finally, following our ride we will start our short hike to the top of this eroded spatter cone to share the vivid obscurity of the human history of “Las Encantadas”. A fantastic landscape decorated with little islands is the perfect setting to engage with the fascinating story of the Wittmer´s, Doctor Ritter and Dora, and the famous Baroness and her three lovers. Charles, Floreana and Santa María are the official names of the Island that holds an overwhelming mystery of our human history.